Ireland

Tree over 170 years old collapses in Trinity College square

Oregon Maple tree was planted in the 1840s, a sister tree in the square is being examined

One of Trinity College's oldest trees, an Oregon Maple that was approximately 175-years-old, has collapsed, leading experts to examine if its sister tree needs to be cut down also. Video: Nick Bradshaw
Sarah Burns
Sat Jun 02 2018 - 15:38

A tree aged approximately 175-years-old collapsed in Trinity College Dublin on Saturday morning.

The Oregon Maple tree was one of two planted during the 1840s in Library Square.

The tree, which is understood to have been one of the oldest trees in the college, had been diseased.

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The sister Oregon Maple is being assessed by tree experts who will decide whether it needs to be cut down for safety reasons. Staff were cutting and removing the fallen tree on Saturday.

“It collapsed around 2.30am. There were no injuries and it caused no damage to surrounding buildings. Security were immediately alerted,” a spokeswoman for the college said.

Both trees are diseased “so there was a treatment plan being put into place in relation to it. There were no events cancelled as a result of the tree collapsing.

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns is a reporter for The Irish Times